The Stormlight Archive has been one of my favorite series for a long time–I read the first book, Way of Kings, back in 2011 (my first Brandon Sanderson book!) when it was the only one in the series and fell in love. I’ve revisited the series every time a new book has come out and love each reread.
Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy series in the Cosmere. The first book follows three main characters, with some random cast interspersed, and the cast expands as the series progresses. There will be ten books total in the series, with a break between the first five and the second five.
With the fifth book just releasing a few months ago, I thought it would be fun to look at which ones are my favorite/least favorite in the series. My post today is ranking them from my fifth favorite to my absolute favorite!
#5 Wind and Truth
Coming in as my least favorite of the Stormlight books is the newest release, Wind and Truth. I have to admit, I was very disappointed in this one. There were some parts I really liked, but for the most part, it was a let down. It felt like the moral focus of the book had changed, there were things that drew me out of the story (like the word “therapist” repeatedly being used), and I found myself not caring about a lot of the plot. I did really enjoy all the sections following Adolin, but I found myself not caring about a lot of the sections in the spiritual realm, hated Honor’s flashbacks (they felt very much like exposition to me), and didn’t really love most of the sections with Kaladin and Szeth. Add to that the tone shift that I felt and didn’t like and it was hard to get through. However, I will say that the parts I did like, I loved and made it worth it to me to read the book.
#4 Rhythm of War
Rhythm of War is the fourth book in the series and before the fifth book came out, this was my least favorite. Something about this one just doesn’t pull me through the way the first three do. I suspect part of it is that I get bored by the Venli flashback sections, because we don’t really get to see much that we didn’t already learn in past books. My favorite parts of the book are the sections that follow Navani and her character arc. On the reread, I also loved Kaladin’s sections more than the first time I read it, which helped me like it more as well. That is part of why I put this book as my fourth favorite rather than fifth.
#3 Words of Radiance
Words of Radiance is the second in the series and my third favorite. One of the fun parts of this book is seeing Shallan grow into herself as a character, even as she faces some big struggles. It’s also really fun to read about the interactions between Shallan, Adolin, and Kaladin, and to see Dalinar gain confidence. There are a few different mysteries to pull me through and I care so much about the characters and what’s happening with them, I can’t put it down. And of course, the Sanderlanche is very satisfying at the end. If the other two books weren’t so good, this would be a favorite. As it stands, it is squarely in the middle.
# 2 Way of Kings
Way of Kings is the first in the series and focuses on Kaladin. In the past, I’ve had a harder time getting through some of Kaladin’s sections because he can complain a lot, but on my most recent reread, I didn’t have that issue at all. I devoured the book again (much like I did on my first read). I love all the characters in this book, including Shallan (I know a lot of people don’t like her until at least the second book). It’s so fun to see Dalinar at the beginning of his journey, to watch Shallan figure out how to be on her own, and to experience Kaladin’s character arc. His arc is my favorite thing about this book, especially the payoff at the end–everything you read about him leads up to a choice he has to face and leads him to the choice you as a reader want him to make. It makes me cry every time I read it. And then Dalinar’s choice at the end too–it’s all just so good. These books are long, but man are the payoffs worth the effort.
# 1 Oathbringer
And finally, my favorite book of the series! Oathbringer focuses on Dalinar, who also happens to be my favorite character. I know I am in the minority here and that this is a lot of people’s least favorite book. They talk a lot about having an issue with the pacing. I have never experienced that myself, though on my most recent reread, I could see why they would say that as the first half of the book not only doesn’t get into a lot of the Dalinar plotline yet, but also follows the characters attending a lot of meetings. It still doesn’t bother me, but I can see it.
The reason this is my favorite book is because of the ending and the way all of Dalinar’s struggles (including in his flashbacks) all lead up to the ending. I am literally getting goosebumps sitting here writing about it. I cry every time and it leaves me motivated to be a better person. On this most recent reread, I noticed the theme of taking responsibility for your own choices is not only woven into Dalinar’s pov at the climax, but also into Kaladin’s conflict. It is so brilliantly put together, it makes me want to go reread the book just talking about it. I don’t think I’ve ever read an ending that has hit me as hard as the ending of Oathbringer.
That is how I would rank the 5 Stormlight books! Despite being disappointed with the fifth book, I’m super excited for when he writes the next five books and to see what else he comes out with. Do you read Brandon Sanderson? What are your favorite books by him? How would you rate the Stormlight books?
August was quite the month. Trying to juggle a baby with older kids (summer activities, home school, extra curriculars, friends, all of it) is exhausting. I did get some good reading in though and really enjoyed a lot of the books I read!
In August, I read 17 books and 4,737 pages in August, for an average of 278 pages per book. I read 15 books by female authors and 2 by male authors. I borrowed 6 and owned 11 of the books I read. I read 4 physical books, 5 eBooks, and 8 audiobooks. I read 7 middle grade, 1 YA, and 6 adult books. I shared 6 read aloud books with my kids and read 5 new releases. I had 5 rereads and 12 new reads. I read 2 “new to me authors” and 10 previously read authors (not including rereads). I read 1 book from my 2026 TBR, bringing the total read or DNF’d to 23 of 33. I read 4 books in a series, finishing 2 series and starting 0. I read 10 five star reads, 2 four star reads, 4 three star reads, 1 two star read, and 0 one star reads.
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto
I have loved the few books I’ve read by Jesse Q. Sutanto so far! I started with Vera Wong (my favorite so far) and this series is my second by her. I really loved the first book, but the second was just okay. I was very happy to find that I once again loved this third and final book in the series! It is wacky, but in the best way.
The Blackbird Girls by Annie Blankman
This middle grade historical fiction was different than I was expecting, but in a way that I loved. I was totally gripped by the characters and by the two main characters’ friendship. I learned about history and really enjoyed the “overcoming abuse” plotline. This would be a really good read for slightly older middle grade readers.
Rebel Summer by Cindy Steel
Cindy Steel is one of my favorite clean rom com authors and this book did not disappoint. It had a fun premise, a great “hate to love” romance, and characters that I loved reading about. I liked the way the author incorporated some of the heavier topics like emotional abuse into the light hearted romance.
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This was technically a reread for me, but I haven’t read it since I was a young girl, so a lot of it felt new to me. This has been my favorite of the series so far. I love Laura and Almonzo and seeing their relationship develop throughout the book is swoony in the best way.
One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen
This was my final read of the month and I listened to it with my family in the car on a roadtrip (we listened to it in one day, there and back) and everyone loved it. The kids were begging to keep listening anytime we had to stop it and laughing at all the right spots and even my husband had us pause it when he ran in to grab some food somewhere because he didn’t want to miss it. It was educational, fun, and moving. I loved the theme of being able to let go of the past so you can move forward in your life and felt it was very well done. It got us through a long day of driving in the best way possible.
What did you read in September? What book have you read and loved recently? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
I have loved fairy tale retellings as long as I can remember. The first “real” novel I read was Harry Potter, but the second was Ella Enchanted. I was off track from school and walked through the snow to a daycare everyday instead of school while my mom was at work. One day, I got there and couldn’t find the book anywhere! I was devestated, because it meant I couldn’t finish the book, and I was right at the part with the balls. The next day as I was walking, I found the book sticking out of a snowbank! The cover was ruined, but the book itself was just fine and I was able to finish the story–which I loved. Char was my first “book crush” and I’ve reread Ella Enchanted more than probably any other book.
Today I wanted to share some of my favorite fairy tale retellings! Let me know some of your favorites–I’m always on the lookout for some new fun ones!
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ella Enchanted is a book most people have heard of, but it is my most favorite retelling (and the first I ever read!), so it had to be included. It is a Cinderella retelling. One of its biggest strengths is the way it goes deeper on some superifical aspects–like the relationship between the prince and Cinderella before the ball–in a way that makes it feel very real. I highly prefer the book over the movie and will always be in love with Char.
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Fairest takes place in the same world as Ella Enchanted, though it follows comlpetely different characters (and actually takes place in a different country). I love the themes of beauty and self confidence in this Snow White retelling.
Just Ella by Maragaret Peterson Haddix
Just Ella is a sort of retelling of Cinderella–I say sort of because it picks up after the original story and explores what it might be like for Ella as she moves to the castle for her “happily ever after”. Needless to say, things aren’t all as they appear or as she expected. I love the way it plays on the original story and the love story in this one.
Palace of Mirrors by Maragaret Peterson Haddix
Palace of Mirrors is the companion novel to Just Ella and while it isn’t a direct fairy tale retelling, it’s very fairy tale-esque with the princesses and plot. Haddix’s writing style is fun and easy to read, making these fairy tale books very enjoyable.
Cinder by Mariss Meyer
Cinder is a science fiction retelling of Cinderella and it is so fun! It is a great read even if you don’t normally enjoy science fiction. There are four books in the series and each is a fairy tale retelling that follows a new character, but that builds on the book and plot before it. After Cinder comes Scarlet–a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, Cress–a Rapuinzel retelling, and Winter–a Snow White retelling. It’s such a fun series with a lot of tie ins with the original fairy tales but enough uniqueness to really bring the story and characters to life.
Princess of Shadows by A.G. Marshall
Princess of Shadows is a fantasy Princess and the Pea retelling that was really fun to read! I really enjoyed the characters, the romance, and the world building. It was also fun to read a retelling of a less commonly found retelling.
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston
Bookish and the Beast is also part of a YA retelling series that each follow a different character (and different fairy tale) in the same world. This is the third and my personal favorite, as it is a beauty and the beast retelling and focuses heavily on books–both things I love. The first is Geekerella–a Cinderella retelling, and the second is The Princess and the Fangirl–a Prince and the Pauper retelling. This series is clean when it comes to sexual content, but does have more language in it.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Princess of the Midnight Ball is a sweet retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, great for younger readers as well. While it has romance in it, it has more of a “middle grade” feel to it than YA. The characters and plot are really fun and because I’m a dancer, I always love retellings of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Princess of Glass is the sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball and is a loose Cinderella retelling. I loved seeing the ways this one differed from the traditional Cinderella story and all the shenanigans that take place alongside the romance.
The Stolen Kingdom by Bethany Atazadeh
The Stolen Kingdom is an Aladdin retelling with a really fun twist on the Jinni. The main character was especially fun to follow as she was proactive and strong, and I fell in love with Caden, or “Aladdin”, but my favorite character was the Jinni. This is the first of a series of retellings that are all fun, and it has a spinoff series that follows the negative arc of the main antagonist.
The Thirteenth Princess by Diana Zahler
The Thirteenth Princess is a Twelve Dancing Princesses middle grade retelling with a fun twist–the main character is the “thirteenth” princess. It is a fun, fast read that has particularly fun twists on the original fairy tale.
The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons
The Other World has loose Little Mermaid retelling vibes. This YA book has a love triangle and explores family relationships versus independence. I loved characters, the way the plot went, and the way everything resolved.
The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors
The Sweetest Spell is a very loose retelling of the Ugly Duckling. This middle grade book is so sweet and so enjoyable. I fell in love with all the characters, especially the main character Emmeline–she is so resilient, works through her doubts, and stands strong in the midst of terrible circumstances. The plot is really fun too, with great twists that I didn’t see coming.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The Goose Girl is one of my very favorite retellings, of a less-well known fairy tale also titled The Goose Girl. I absolutely love the world, the characters, and the character arcs of this story. The magic in it is very unique and fun and Shannon Hale’s writing style is captivating. This book is great for both middle grade and YA.
Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett
Rapunzel Untangled is obviously a Rapunzel retelling. It has a fun premise that the author does a great job delivering on. The retelling aspect of it is unique and the story is charming, great for a younger audience.
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale
Rapunzel’s Revenge is a fun graphic novel retelling! This book has a unique take on Rapunzel–rather than the typical protagonist, you get to read about a proactive, cowgirl-style Rapunzel going on an adventure to escape her tower. There is a sequel–Calamity Jack–that is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and finishes off the story. Both are really fun reads.
Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
Mighty Jack is another fun graphic novel retelling, also retelling Jack and the Beanstalk. It ties in with Zita the Spacegirl (not a fairy tale retelling, but an awesome graphic novel series). My kids love this series and I, as an adult, also loved reading it with them.
Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
I don’t know if the regency romance Seeking Persephone is meant to be a retelling, but my favorite part of it was the “Beauty and the Beast” vibes throughout. It also has tie-ins with Greek mythology. The romance is so sweet, I loved how their relationship developed and the slow burn of it. It’s one of my favorite regency romances, especially with the fairy tale retelling vibes.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Gail Carson Levine
This is not necessarily a “fairy tale retelling” but it has fairy tale vibes and is based off of The Princess Bride, if Buttercup went out to serach for Wesley on her own after he left. I love the fairy tale vibes of this fantasy book, the sweet romance, and the plot twists along the way!
These are some of my favorite fairy tale retellings! What are you favorite retellings? I’m always on the lookout for some new good ones and would love to hear from you!
I have been a BIG Brandon Sanderson fan for many years. I was 19 when I read my first book by him (Way of Kings) and at the time, he had the Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, Way of Kings, and a few novellas published. I have reread a quite a few of books over the years, but when they anounced the release of the fifth Stormlight book for the end of 2024, I knew it was a good time for me to revisit all of the Cosmere books he’d written. I did not read Allomancer Jack, White Sands, or the Cosmere secret projects.
Note: The Cosmere is a fictional universe that many of Sanderson’s books take place in. If a book is a “Cosmere” book, it takes place on a planet in that universe. Think of it similar to Marvel, but with fantasy books. Not all of his books take place in the Cosmere and so far, you can read all the Cosmere books independently, without having to read all the connected books. But, it can be fun to find the Easter eggs in the connections.
I knew it was going to be a big undertaking, but I broke it down to about a book a month (some months had multiple shorter books to fit it all in) and I’m a big reader, besides the fact that his books are un-put-down-able. I was confident I could do it!
So …
How did I do?
I succeeded in rereading all the Cosmere books I set out to read! However, I didn’t quite manage to finish Wind and Truth in 2024 (I ended up reading it in January of 2025). Here’s how my year went:
January through March, I had planned on reading the original Mistborn books (the trilogy, Sercret History, and Eleventh Metal) and read them just as planned. I loved revisiting them! The original Mistborn trilogy remains my favorite work by Brandon Sanderson. I love the characters, the romance between Vin and Elend, the heist plot, the plot twist at the end, and the character arcs. This time around was really fun because I was listening to the third Mistborn book (while painting our living room) in conjunction with reading the ebook of Secret History (the two plots take place adjacent to each other as well).
In April and May, I squeezed two books in each month to read the second era of Mistborn (Wax and Wayne). I managed to finish the first (Alloy of Law) in April, but didn’t quite manage to finish the second (Shadows of Self) until May, but then I also did read the last two (Bands of Mourning and The Lost Metal) in May, catching up with my schedule. I always love Alloy of Law, it’s so funny and the characters and mystery are so fun to read about. Shadows of Self has never been my favorite, but there are still good parts. It surprised me how much I loved rereading Bands of Mourning and I cried again when I read the end of The Lost Metal.
In June, I read Warbreaker. Warbreaker is such a great story that plays with different tropes in interesting ways and has amazing characters. I am super excited that we are apparently getting another Warbreaker book soon!
In July, I read The Emporer’s Soul and Elantris (and Hope of Elantris). I had forgotten how much I love The Emporer’s Soul until I reread it. It is a novella, so it’s shorter, but the worldbuilding is really cool and the con artist plot line is right up my alley. Rereading Elantris, it’s probably my least favorite Cosmere book. It isn’t bad, but I didn’t love it as much I thought I would. I found myself not wanting to read it, or remembering what came next and not being excited for it.
August and September are when I started to get off track. I was supposed to read Way of Kings in August and Words of Radiance as well as Edgedancer in September. However, I ended up having morning sickness during these months, so my reading was very much mood reading, especially in August as I was in the thick of it and just trying to survive feeling sick all the time with four kids to take care of.
I started reading Way of Kings in September and finished it in October. I then immediately picked up Words of Radiance and Edgedancer and finished those in October as well. I absolutely loved reading Way of Kings this time. I’ve always loved the book, but in the past, a lot of Kaladin’s parts dragged for me. That wasn’t the case this time, for whatever reason. I just thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end, and the ending made me cry (like it does every time). I also really enjoyed my rereading of Words of Radiance. Edgedancer was just okay this time around.
November was very busy for me–holidays with four kids and being pregnant is no joke. Despite the business, I managed to read both Oathbringer and Dawnshard. Oathbringer is one of my favorite endings of all time. It helps that Dalinar is my favorite character in Stormlight. I know this is a lot of people’s least favorite book because of pacing, and on this reread I could see why with how the first half of the book is so full of meetings, but honestly, the pacing has never bothered me and I love the ending so much. The themes and character arc felt even more powerful to me this reread with some of the things going on in my personal life. It is so powerful.
In December, I almost managed to get all the way caught up. I finished my Rhythm of War reread, though I finished it after the release of Wind and Truth. It was Christmas time, so I was busy and reading more holiday books. I also just had a harder time getting into it. The first time I read it, I didn’t love it. I liked it more this time around, but I didn’t feel the same pull to pick up the book and keep reading that I do with the first three. Those three are long, but it’s hard for me to put them down and get anything done. With Rhythm of War, it almost feels like the opposite. I will say, I love (and have always loved) the Navani plot line and this time around, I felt much more invested in Kaladin’s plot line as well.
I also read Sixth of Dusk and Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell in December, between Christmas and New Years. Both are novellas. I absolutely love Shadows for Silence. I know so many who love Sixth of Dusk because of the cool world building (and it does have that), but I personally find the plot a little boring to get through.
I also started Wind and Truth near the end of December (while I was reading the novellas), but I didn’t finish it until January of the next year. I didn’t hate the book, but like with Rhythm of War, I didn’t feel myself just wanting to read it nonstop and was honestly fairly disappointed with it.
Wind and Truth Review:
This review is not going to be completely spoiler free, because I want to talk about things that I liked or didn’t like in the book, but I will try to keep things vague enough that the spoilers aren’t too crazy.
I want to start by saying that part of my disappointment came from expecting this book to be a bit of a climax, in wrapping up the first arc of the series. Instead, we got a book that felt very much like a setup book (and my understanding is this was what Sanderson was going for). I’m not sure if this is why I felt bored during much of the book or if it was something else. The other part of my disappointment came from what felt like a shift in the themes and feel of the book. I’ll go more into that later.
There were many things about the book that I enjoyed. My favorite part of the book was everything Adolin. His sections in Azir were all so enjoyable to me. I loved seeing Adolin and Yanagawn’s friendship develop and Yanagawn’s character development. I was very invested in Azir and Adolin’s role there. I also was very interested in everything happening with the deadeyes and the climatic moment there was great.
There were some backstory scenes that we got to see as the characters were in the spiritual realm that I liked. I also loved the section where we get to se Jasnah humbled–I know some people didn’t love that part, but I thought it was very well done, realistic to what would happen, and honestly, it was satisfying to see someone able to do to Jasnah what she often does to others.
With the end of the book, the things liked the most were Sigzil’s sacrifice, Szeth’s arc, that Dalinar chose to protect Gavinar, and the wrap up with the herald’s. These things were fun to read and felt satisfying to me as a reader.
That being said, there were quite a few things that detracted from the reading experience for me. For some reason, there was so much of the book that just dragged for me. The worst were the scenes where Honor was telling his backstory–these felt like straight up exposition dump and I found myself getting annoyed every time it went back to his veiwpoint. Honestly, though, most of the spiritual realm felt long and uninteresting. I have a hard time with dreams in books and the much of the spiritual realm felt dream-like, so I’m wondering if this is part of why I struggled with it. I’m not sure, but I had an especially hard time with caring about Shallan’s veiwpoints in the spiritual realm.
The other part of the book that was very boring to me was Sigzil’s sections, and I think it’s because I had already read The Sunlit Man (which was recommended to be read before Wind and Truth). I already knew so much because of the Sunlit Man that it was not exciting to read and all the tension I would have felt otherwise about their struggles was gone. Like I said before, I did love his climax, but the rest of his sections were just harder to get through. In fact, most of the fight scenes until day 9 felt a little pointless to read and I found more boring. It almost felt like it didn’t even matter until it was closer to the end of the 10 days.
If you take the bulk of the spiritual realm and the bulk of the fight scenes, it makes up most of the build up in the book and it’s easy for me to see why I had a harder time getting through the book. On top of this, I found myself often pulled out of the story by more modern language. The worst offense for me was the constant use of the word “therapy”. It literally was driving me crazy, though there were other phrases that felt very out of place to me too. It seems like such a small thing to have a few out-of-place words, but it actually had a big effect on the reading experience for me.
With the word therapy, I also had a hard time with the fact that Szeth is the one who has the main character arc, but we see so much of his perspective through Kaladin’s eyes. Kaladin’s character is simply trying to “fix” Szeth and it’s honestly way less fun to watch someone trying to fix someone else than it is to watch a character struggle themselves to fix themselves. This was one of the way that themes in this book felt different to me than in the past books and it had a big effect on the reading experience.
And finally, the contest of champions. This was the thing that the last few books have really been leading up to and it was a huge letdown for me. I hated–absolutely hated–who the champion was. From the beginning, I have held firm that I could handle anyone being the champion except one person. And guess who the champion was? Yep, that person. I also hate the way they became the champion, it makes me sick. Then the contest itself very anticlimatic. I was just expecting so much more from it and it just kind of … fizzled.
Overall, I think the sections I enjoyed made it worth reading and I plan on continuing the series. I am hoping that this book is a one-off and not the start of a different trajectory for the series. I love the first three books, like the fourth book, and was disappointed with this one, but I hold out hope that I can love (or at least like) the sixth. I guess we’ll see.
So those are my thoughts on Wind and Truth and how I did with my Cosmere rereadathon. It was so fun to revisit so many of my favorite books in 2024! Have you read Wind and Truth? What did you think of it? I’d love to hear your thoughts, even if they differ from mine!
July was a fun reading month for me! I had some reads that surprised me with how much I enjoyed them and read one that I missed as a child but loved as an adult.
In July, I read 21 books and 6,203 pages, for an average of 295 pages per book. I read 7 eBooks, 12 audiobooks, and 2 physical books. I borrowed 10 books and owned 11 of the books I read. I had 7 rereads and 14 new reads. I read 9 middle grade books, 1 young adult book, and 11 adult books. I read 2 new releases. I read 2 books that are part of a series, starting none and finishing 1. I read 11 five star reads, 6 four star reads, 4 three star reads, and 0 two or one star reads.
Today I am sharing the books I read last month that I loved the most. I would love to hear what your favorite reads from July were!
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
The Lost Man is a character-driven thriller that takes place on a cattle ranch in the outback of Queensland. It didn’t feel like it would be my kind of book, but I devoured it and hated to see it end because then I couldn’t keep reading it.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
The Night Diary is a middle grade historical fiction about a half-Muslim, half-Hindu girl and her family as they try to find their place in the world as India gained independence from Britian and divided into two countries. Throughout, the main character Nisha is writing to her dead mother. It was a beautiful and heart wrenching story.
Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie
I honestly just love most of Agatha Christie’s books, especially the Poirot ones. This one took a bit to get into for some reason, but once I did, it was a winner!
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
This middle grade was a fun read, but also hit on some deeper issues that I loved reading about. Zoe Washington’s father is in jail for murder and her mother doesn’t want her to have any contact with him, but as she starts writing letters to him, she realizes he might be innocent. The friendships and the family relationships in this one are very well done and the main character is one you want to root for.
That Fine Line by Cindy Steel
This was a fantastic hate-to-love romance with pranks and character growth and cute family ties. It was a lighthearted, closed-door romance and it exactly hit the spot for what I was wanting to read at the time.
Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden
This is the finale to the Small Spaces series and was a fantastic ending to it all. I found the series to be creepy, but not too much for me to handle, and I loved the friendships that developed throughout.
Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery
I grew up reading Anne of Green Gables as a child, but somehow missed this one. I found Emily to be just as charming and fun to read about!
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
This was not what I was expecting going in, for some reason, but I devoured it. The mystery of what was going on and then the fallout of the confrontation and earthquake kept me hooked. I especially loved the female relationships that formed and the theme of motherhood that ran throughout.
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
This was a reread for me as I was reading it aloud to my kids. My girls (ages 9, 8, and 6) absolutely loved it and it was such a joy to share it with them. I loved hearing them laugh at all the appropriate spots and I also just loved revisiting this family and all the antics they get up to.
The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson
This was one of my Cosmere rereads for the month (since it’s shorter) and I had forgotten just how good it is! Despite it’s shorter lengths, it’s one of my favorites my Sanderson.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
This was my main Cosmere reread for month. I was surprised to find as I started it that I was having a hard time actually wanting to reread it. As I got into, I enjoyed it, but it’s not my absolute favorite by Sanderson. The one thing I do LOVE about the book is the romance. I love that as a reader, I want the main characters to be together before they even meet in person.
Those were my favorite reads from July! What are some of your favorite books that you’ve read recently? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan! I read my first book by him (Way of Kings) when I was 19 and devoured the 6 books he had out at the time. He is an auto-buy author for me, and I always read his new releases almost immediately.
While I don’t think he’s ever written a book I didn’t enjoy, my favorites by him tend to be the Cosmere books. Many of his fantasy books take place in the same universe, though they can be read independently of each other (similar to Marvel).
In December of 2024, the 5th book in his Stormlight series (an epic fantasy series set in the Cosmere) comes out and I am beyond excited! To prepare for it and for fun, I am doing a Cosmere rereadathon this year. If you would like to reread the Stormlight books and/or any Cosmere books, or read them for the first time, you are welcome to join along!
I am not planning on reading Allomancer Jack or White Sands (because they aren’t my favorite) and I am also not reading any of the secret projects from 2023, because I have read them so recently.
Here is a rough schedule of what I am planning to read and when. I’ll be posting onInstagram stories about my progress and talking some about them as I read through them.
January – The Final Empire
February – The Well Ascension
March – Hero of Ages, Mistborn: Secret History, and The Eleventh Metal
April – Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self
May – Bands of Mourning and The Lost Metal
June – Warbreaker
July – Elantris, Hope of Elantris, and Emperor’s Soul
August – Way of Kings
September – Words of Radiance and Edgedancer
October – Oathbringer and Dawnshard
November – Rhythm of War
December – Sixth of Dusk and Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell
January
The Final Empire
I wanted to start with Mistborn, one of Sanderson’s first series. It is still one of my favorite series of all time and I’m excited to revisit it.
February
The Well of Ascension
This is the second Mistborn book. These are long enough books that I’m trying to keep it to one book for the month. If I finish early, I can start the next book in the series early.
March
Hero of Ages
This the final book of the original Mistborn series.
Mistborn: Secret History
This is a short novella that should be read after the original series (because it has spoilers for the final book). It’s short enough that I don’t mind including it with the final Mistborn book.
The Eleventh Metal
This is a companion short story to the original series. I don’t remember a lot about it and am excited to reread it. It’s a short story, so it doesn’t matter too much where I put it in the schedule, and I liked the idea of finishing up the original Mistborn material in March.
April
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
These are the first two in the Wax and Wayne series, books that take place in the same world as the original Mistborn series but hundreds of years later. They are shorter than the Mistborn books and I needed to double up on them in order to finish the Cosmere books this year.
May
Bands of Mourning
The Lost Metal
These are the last two of the Wax and Wayne series. If I were reading the Allomancer Jack stories, this is where I would have put them.
June
Warbreaker
This is a standalone (with potential for more books) that has big tie-ins with the Stormlight series. It has been many years since I read this book and am feeling very ready for a refresh on the characters that cross over.
July
Elantris
This is another standalone novel and was Brandon Sanderson’s first published novel. I have always loved the romance in this one. It is also the one that has been longest since I’ve read it.
Hope of Elantris
This is a companion short story to Elantris that I remember very little about.
Emperor’s Soul
This is a novella that takes place in the same world as Elantris. Because of that, and because Elantris is shorter than Warbreaker, I thought it would be good to include it in July.
August
Way of Kings
This is the first book in the Stormlight Archive (the series that the new release is a part of). I have reread this many times (at least once before any new books came out and then again with each new release) but it has so much to it, that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to reread it too many times. I am especially looking forward to the ending, as it is one of my favorite endings ever.
September
Words of Radiance
This the second book in the Stormlight Archive.
Edgedancer
This is a novella that takes place between Words of Radiance and Oathbringer. It is a “novella” but is actually fairly long. If I don’t have time to read it in September, I’ll read it at the beginning of October before jumping into Oathbringer.
October
Oathbringer
This is the third book in the Stormlight Archive and the one I am most looking forward to. It’s my favorite book in the series (Dalinar is my favorite character, and I will never NOT cry at his big moment in this book).
Dawnshard
Dawnshard is another Stormlight novella and takes place between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War. I remember loving it when I read it and am especially looking forward to a refresh on some things after reading the fourth secret project.
November
Rhythm of War
This is the fourth Stormlight novel and I really, really need to reread it as I’ve only read it the one time when it first released.
December
Sixth of the Dusk
This is an earlier novella by Brandon Sanderson, and it has been a long time since I read it. Because December is a busier month and the fifth Stormlight book comes out early in the month, I wanted to pick a quicker reread (or two).
Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell
This is another novella in the Cosmere. These two reads combined will not take a lot of time to read and will be easily doable in December.
I am very much looking forward to a deeper dive into the Cosmere next year and to the release of Wind and Truth!
Are you a Cosmere fan? What is a new release you are looking forward to in 2024? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Middle Grade books are some of my favorite to read, both as an adult and, of course, with my kids. One of my favorite things is reading a middle grade book that I love and turning around to share it with my kids—and having them love it!
Today I am sharing some of my favorite middle grade authors!
Jennifer A. Neilsen
Jennifer A. Neilsen is such a fun author for both kids and adults! We listened to her new release last year as a family on a roadtrip. My husband had to run into a store and was so invested, he had us pause the book so he woudn’t miss anything. Despite it being a year since we listened, my kids still talk about that book (it was One Wrong Step).
She writes mostly middle grade historical fiction, covering topics from the world wars to Mount Everest to the Titanic. She also has a few different middle grade fantasy series. Her most famous might be A Night Divided. Her most recent release is Magnitude, a story set during the Great San Fransisco Earthquke of 1906. My favorite historical fiction by her is Resistance and my favorite fantasy is The False Prince (I haven’t read everything by her yet).
Shannon Hale
Shannon Hale wrote some of my own favorite childhood books, though some of her newer books have been hit and miss for me. I still love many of her books (old and new) and love to share them with my kids. Some of her books are between middle grade and YA and she has also written some books geared toward adults (though all her content is clean).
She has a chapter book series, The Princess in Black, that is very cute and very much for kids. She has written a few graphic novel middle grade contemporary series (Best Friends and Dream On) that are great for both kids and adults. Dream On is the first book, but the sequel hasn’t been released yet. I cried during both and as soon as I finished Dream On, I took it to my 9 year old because I knew she would love it.
Shannon Hale also has some graphic novel retellings, including Rapunzel’s Revenge, Diana: Princess of the Amazons, and Amethyst. She’s written a middle grade fairy tale series called Ever After High with quite a few books in the series, a super hero duology about Squirrel Girl, and some fantasy books (Princess Academy, Goose Girl, Book of a Thousand Days) that are great for older middle grade and adults—these were my favorite growing up!
She is probably most famous for Princess Academy or Goose Girl (I love both of them!). Her newest release, Dream Big, will be the sequal to a middle grade contemporary graphic novel, Dream On, and is coming out in September. My favorite book by her is Book of a Thousand Days, though I love her contemporary graphic novels as well. My kids have loved everything they’ve read by her.
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is mainly an adult author, but he has some great middle grade books that my kids and I have both loved. His main middle grade series is Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians. It has some mild violence, but is lighthearted and silly, my kids couldn’t stop laughing when we listened to them. His other middle grade is a stand alone (with plans to write it into a series later on) called The Rithmatist. This one has some scarier parts, so it’s better for older middle grade, but has a fun friendship, great mystery, and a wonderful character arc.
Brandon Sanderson also has his Skyward series, which is a science fantasy for young adults. I’ve seen other families who have listened to it together with their middle grade-aged kids and loved it (we haven’t done that yet). He also has his superhero series, Steelheart, which is YA but an older middle grade could read.
James Ponti
James Ponti writes really fun adventure mystery books for middle grade kids. His most famous is probably City Spies, an ongoing series following a group of kids who work for the CIA and his most recent release is the newest book in the series. My favorites by him are his Framed! books, a series that follows a kid who works as a consultant for the FBI.
Gary D Schmidt
I’ve only read a few books by Gary D Schmidt so far, but the ones I’ve read make me want to read every book he’s written. He writes contemporary middle grade books that deal with heavier topics in the best way possible, and his books have always made me cry.
He’s probably most famous for his book The Wednesday Wars, following a teenage boy in the sixties. His most recent release is A Day at the Beach, a contemporary he cowrote with Ron Koertge (I haven’t read it yet). My favorite by him has been Okay for Now.
Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo is a very famous middle grade author, for good reason. She writes contemporary books, sometimes with magical realism, and fantasy books. She’s probably most famous for The Tale of Despereaux or Because of Winn Dixie. Her most recent release was Ferris, a contemporary following a girl whose grandmother is sick and seeing a ghost. My favorite book by her is Because of Winn Dixie, though my kids also love her Mercy Watson chapter books.
LM Montgomery
LM Montgomery has such lovely books, both middle grade and adult. She is probably most famous for Anne of Green Gables (one of my favorite middle grade books of all time!) but also has Emily of New Moon (some peope like Emily more than Anne; I am not one of those people, but I do love Emily still). She’s written so many others that I haven’t read yet (but plan to!) including a more episodic story called The Story Girl, Jane of Lantern Hill, Magic for Marigold, Pat of Silver Bush, and many short stories.
Wendelin Van Draanen
Wendelin Van Draanen has written many middle grade books, spanning contemporary, historical fiction, and mystery. I always fly through her books and then wish I hadn’t gotten through them so fast so I could keep reading.
Her contemporary books include ones like Flipped, a middle grade about crushes and growing up, and The Running Dream, following a girl on the track team who has to get a prosthetic leg. In historical fiction, she has The Peach Rebellion, following a friend group of three girls post-WWII, and How I Survived Being a Girl, about a girl who wishes she could do the “tomboy” activities her brothers get to rather than being ladylike. Her mysteries include the Sammy Keyes series, about a girl named Sammy who grows up a lot while always getting herself mixed up in some sort of mystery; Mr. Whiskers and the Shennanigan sisters, where the main character is a stray dog who helps his human friends when their father is dad-napped; and The Steps, a middle grade thriller with family politics.
She’s probably most famous for Flipped. Her newest release is The Steps, coming out at the end of 2025. It’s really hard to pick a favorite by her, because I love so many of her books, but I would either pick Sammy Keyes or The Peach Rebellion.
Karina Van Glaser
Karina Van Glaser writes contemporary books with amazing characters. She often incorporates music into her books and portrays family in a way that I love. She is probably most famous for her Vanderbeekers of 131st Street series, the first book of which follows a large family who are told they need to move right at Christmas and the kids hatch a plan to keep that from happening. Her most recent release is The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli, a historical fiction set in 731 China and 1931 Chinatown. My favorite book by her so far has been A Duet for Home, following two children living in a homeless shelter.
Lisa Fipps
Lisa Fipps has two books released so far, and they are amazing reads. Both are written in verse and both have all the feels. Her debut novel Starfish follows a girl who has been bullied about her weight all her life and has to figure out how to stop the bullying and accept herself. Her most recent release And Then, Boom! follows a boy in poverty whose mother can’t be depended on for anything and he often has to figure things out himself–even in the middle of an actual tornado. I cried and cried during the book and loved the ending. Both of Lisa Fipp’s books cover serious topics that are important for kids to learn about, in a way that is appropriate for kids and could help them to understand people in circumstances different from their own.
Katherine Arden
Katherine Arden’s series Small Spaces is a great one if you have a child wanting to read horror. This middle grade series has four books in it. It follows a girl and her new friends who discover “the smiling man” on a field trip, and the only advice they have to get away from him is to “avoid large spaces, keep to the small.” The first book can be read as a standalone, but of course, the smiling man comes back in the sequels to haunt their lives. I am not a big horror fan (I’m wimpy when it comes to that kind of stuff), but middle grade horror is something I can usually handle okay and I ended up really enjoying the series.
Gail Carson Levine
Gail Carson Levine has written so many different books over the years, many fantasy and a few historical fiction. My kids love her fantasy short story collection, The Princess Tales. She also has many fantasy novels, including The Two Princesses of Bamaare, Ever, and A Tale of Two Castles, all of which she’s turned into series. Her historical fiction are stand alones and include Dave at Night, A Ceiling Made of Eggshells, and Sparrows in the Wind. She has another historical fiction scheduled for release this year called The Unusuals. She’s probably most famous for Ella Enchanted, which is also my favorite book by her (and has been since I was 8!).
Brandon Mull
Brandon Mull is a middle grade fantasy author. He has a lot of series out, including The Candy Shop War, Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms. He’s probably most famous for Fablehaven, where two kids visit their grandparents only to learn that their grandparents are caretakers on a secret preserve for magical creatures. He recently announced they are making a Fablehaven movie. My favorite book by Brandon Mull is The Candy Shop War.
Christina Soontornvat
Christina Soontornvat’s writing is beautiful. She has some middle grade fantasy, including A Wish in the Dark, which is a retelling of Les Miserables, and The Last Mapmaker, which had a historical fiction feel to it. She’s probably most famous for her nonfiction book All Thirteen, in which she tells the incredible rescue of a soccer team who get stranded in a cave flooding with water. Her most recent release was a soccer memior graphic novel duology called The Tryout. My favorite by her so far has been A Wish in the Dark.
Ben Hatke
Ben Hatke writes middle grade fantasy graphic novels. My kids and I both love his Zita the Spacegirl series and his Mighty Jack series (which crossover on the final books, which is fun). His most recent release is one I haven’t read yet, Things in the Basement. My kids love graphic novels, so I really appreciate when I can find quality ones like what Ben Hatke writes.
Those are my favorite middle grade authors! I love reading middle grade and I love finding new authors so I can read their backlist. What are some of your favorite middle grade books or authors?
Brandon Sanderson has been one of my favorite authors for many years now. I love some of his books more than others, but I honestly have enjoyed every single book he’s written. Because of that, he is one of the authors I’m constantly recommending to others. He has written a lot of books, and a lot of big books, so it can be overwhelming to know where to start if you want to try his books but aren’t sure where to start.
That’s what this post is about today! I’m sharing the top 5 books I think are best to try if you haven’t ever read anything by Brandon Sanderson but want to!
Note: The Cosmere is a fictional universe that many of Sanderson’s books take place in. If a book is a “Cosmere” book, it takes place on a planet in that universe. Think of it similar to Marvel, but with fantasy books. Not all of his books take place in the Cosmere and so far, you can read all the Cosmere books independently, without having to read all the connected books. But, it can be fun to find the Easter eggs in the connections.
Legion
Legion is a short novella, making it a really quick read (I think the audiobook is less than 3 hours). It’s more detective and less fantasy, but it still has that magical element to it. The characters are amazing and it’s a fun concept.
Premise: Stephen Leads has a mental condition that generates hallucinations, which he calls aspects. These aspects each have their own personality and specialty. When he can manage his many aspects, they help him solve cases in a way no one else can.
The Emperor’s Soul
The Emperor’s Soul is also a novella, but pure fantasy. It takes place in the same world as Elantris (though you don’t need to read it first). If you are wanting a taste of Sanderson’s characters and world building, this is a low commitment option.
Premise: Shai is a Forger, someone who can recreate any item flawlessly by rewriting its history with her magic. After she is condemned to death, she is given a chance at freedom by attempting the impossible task of recreating a new soul for the dying emperor.
Elantris
Elantris a full length, stand alone epic fantasy novel. It has a unique magic system and some amazing character growth. Because it’s a stand alone, it’s a lower commitment while you also get the full “Sanderson experience”. It’s also a great introduction to the Cosmere.
Premise: Elantris once was home to demigods, called Elantrians, with magical abilities they used to help others. When the magic failed without warning or reason, these Elantrians became leper-like creatures cursed to live in filth and ruin. When Princess Sarene arrives in Elantris hoping to wed Crown Prince Raoden, she is told he has died, and she is now considered his widow. What she doesn’t guess is Prince Raoden was cursed as an Elantris and is struggling to find a way to survive.
The Rithmatist
The Rithmatist is another full-length novel, though considered an upper middle grade book. This is technically the first in the series, but Sanderson doesn’t currently have plans to write the sequel and the plot wraps up well enough to read as a stand alone.
Premise: Joel desperately wants to be a Rithmatist–someone who can infuse life into chalk drawings. Without that power, though, Joel can only watch as other students learn the art until he is assigned to help a professor investigating crimes involving Chalklings.
Mistborn
This list wouldn’t be complete without Mistborn. I personally think this is the best place to start with Sanderson. It’s a bigger commitment, because it is a trilogy, but still not as much as Stormlight. This series has a really fun magic system, lots of new secrets to discover as you read, characters you can fall in love with, and an amazing ending.
Premise: Skaa live as slaves under the Lord Ruler in a world where ash falls from the sky and no flowers bloom. Kelsier, a half-Skaa, is a brilliant thief who builds a team to not only pull a heist on the Lord Ruler himself, but to take the powerful God-like leader down.
These are all great books to start with on your Sanderson journey. The first book I read by him actually was Way of Kings, the first book in a series that can be a little overwhelming. He won me over with his characters and the payoff of the character arc, and I’ve been reading him ever since. Whatever book you start with, I hope you enjoy his books as much as I do!
What book by Brandon Sanderson have you been considering reading? If you’ve read his books, which is your favorite? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
